Chapter 8: She never cried in front of me…

Authors note: Alright so I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter, as I am finally starting to get some ideas. However I got so much going on my head that it is SLIGHTLY difficult! But anyways enough blabbering I am going to go and start writing.

Rin and Sesshomaru stopped off at the village to build up on supplies for Rin. Sesshomaru was not happy though when she demanded to go and say goodbye to Kenji again, and let him know where she was going this time. Rin got angry and turned to face him.

"Why does he need to know Rin?" he growled as they got closer to his little hut. Rin glared at him.

"Because he is my fiancé Sesshomaru," Rin said sticking her nose in the air and turning around to go into the house. Sesshomaru stood there in shock. His heart felt as if it was going to fly out of his chest and drown itself. He stood there a moment trying to collect himself. He was a lord, and he would not allow anyone to witness him fall apart. Slowly he walked towards the hurt trying to keep his hand off his sword, even though all that Sesshomaru could do was imagine killing that stupid young human boy.

"Rin," he said taking her in his arms, "I'm glad to see you back, but so soon?"

"My daughter is in great danger Kenji," Rin said as she pulled away from the hug feeling Sesshomaru's presence.

"Then I will help you," Kenji said turning to get his stuff.

"No," Rin said knowing Sesshomaru would likely kill the boy if he traveled alongside them, "I must do this on my own with Lord Sesshomaru."

"What?" Kenji asked turning around and staring at her with a look.

"You heard her," Sesshomaru growled as Kenji shot him a look before turning away not wanting to end his life at that moment.

"Well then," he said not turning around a moment. Finally he turned around and looked at Rin, "I wish you good luck and many blessings Rin. May you come home safe."

"Yes thank you," Rin smiled at him as he tried to smile unable to, "I will see you again Kenji."

"I hope you find her Rin," he said looking at her as she turned to leave with her pack on her back full of things she needed.

"Let's go Rin," Sesshomaru said hastily before walking down the road.

"No," Rin said angrily, "you will not talk to me as a servant or as a wife for I am neither of them to you."

"Now is not the time," Sesshomaru growled tired of hearing her pushing him away from her, when all he wanted to do was be with her. Jaken came running down the dirt road.

"I found you milord!" he squeaked and stopped trying to catch his breath.

"Jaken?" he asked giving him a look.

"Jaken," Rin smiled catching Jaken off guard.

"Rin? RIN! Your home!" he said excitedly.

"No," Sesshomaru growled before walking towards the stables.

"What?" Jaken asked looking at his lord.

"She has not returned home," Sesshomaru said making Rin roll her eyes before smiling at the little imp demon.

"Where did you go?" Jaken asked as they made their way into the stables.

"Let's talk on another day we must hurry and find Midori," Rin said as she grabbed Sesken from his stall.

"Right," Jaken nodded as Rin finished saddling and tossed the little toad up. Rin then climbed up behind him.

"Are you ready?" Rin asked Jaken who was clinging to the horses hair. It had been so long since he had been seated on a horse.

"Sure," Jaken said as Rin clicked to her horse who began to trot out of the stables and out of the city following Sesshomaru who was trying to keep a hold of the fading scent. For hours they rode following Sesshomaru through the dark, and Rin couldn't help but feel weary.

"Your exhausted Rin. We will stop and rest," Sesshomaru said before Rin snapped at him.

"I'm just fine! You don't control me anymore Sesshomaru!" she yelled without even realizing the coldness in her words.

"I'm not trying to control you Rin, but I am trying to not get dragged down," Sesshomaru said trying to keep himself angry.

"I am just fine," Rin said feeling herself shake angrily. Just his over whelming presence seemed to send her over the edge.

"Rin I am still the lord in this land so you will do as I command, not that you ever listened before. But your body is growing tired and weak, and I can smell it's fatigue Rin. I will not travel with someone in such poor condition," Sesshomaru growled as Rin pulled her horse to a stop.

"Why don't you ever try listening to me?" Rin snarled before jumping off of Ingwë who snorted and stomped his feet. She then pulled her bag off and pulled out a bag with the gray stallions feed. No reply came from Sesshomaru, instead he wondered off into the forest trying to clear his head and anger. He knew he couldn't keep things civil if he let go of his temper.

"Lo… lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked stumbling nervously into the section of the woods where Sesshomaru was pacing. Normally Rin would have gone in after him, but since she wasn't Jaken felt he needed to.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru acknowledged him without a beating this time. Something must have seriously been bothering Sesshomaru.

"Something is wrong Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked more then said. Sesshomaru did not reply, "I will keep it a secret, just confide in this Jaken."

"I've never spoken to anyone… but Rin," Sesshomaru would not turn to look at Jaken.

"Let this Jaken lend Sesshomaru his ears. I will only speak when permitted my lord I swear it!" Jaken said quickly.

"I suppose," Sesshomaru said not looking back at the imp like toad, "I've never felt as if I didn't release this I would explode. I've never…"

"Yes," Jaken said before Sesshomaru shot him a look, "oh that's right, silence. Sorry milord."

"Rin is engaged," Sesshomaru said turning to look back at the large trees growing tall reach for the sky, "she is going to marry someone else. She is going to be someone else's wife, and I guess I can get on with my life. Isn't that suppose to thrill me? I can see how it all happened, and I can see the tears… of happiness fall from her eyes. That kills me Jaken, because now can see why she is finally crying. A husband to not tell her what to do, and someone to devote all of him to her.

"I just don't understand, how did this happen? It seems just like yesterday I was holding her in my arms. Maybe I would have changed if she told me she was miserable, but its hard for me to say. But the story is still the same, it's a sad one. I will always believe if she ever did cry for me, they were tears you cant see… you know the bad ones? And now I can see why… she's finally crying.

"Without a doubt I know now how it should be, now she is gone and its wrong… it bothers me. Tomorrow I will still be asking myself, how was I suppose to know she was slowly letting go? If I was putting her through hell, hell I couldn't tell. She could have given me a sign, and opened up my eyes. How was I suppose to see? How was I suppose to see… she never cried in front of me? At least not tears of..."

"Lord Sesshomaru it is alright," Jaken said when Sesshomaru paused feeling himself tremble with emotions. Sesshomaru did not reply to this comment, and his heart just seemed to race when he turned to look at Jaken who watched his lord. Sesshomaru's face looked the same, just as stoic and icy as ever. But his eyes… they spilled the truth. Jaken was in awe at how much his master was being touched at that moment.

"She is my strength Jaken," he whispered as some of his white silvery hair fell over his shoulder when he dropped his head.

"Milord…" Jaken said backing away, "never have I seen you so… defeated."

"And you will never speak of this. I may never have Rin again, but she will always be my weakness," Sesshomaru said pulling himself back together. Strangely enough the great Lord of the Western Lands seemed to feel much better after venting.

"Your wish is my command Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken bowed as Sesshomaru walked passed him, and back to the camp. Rin lay already asleep by the fire. Sesshomaru watched through the golden orange flames at Rin's peaceful sleeping body. Sesshomaru sat down on a near by stump, and spent the rest of the night keeping watch over her… as his mind wandered with painful memories.

*-*-*-*-*-*

Midori stared at the man she was supposed to marry, and although a sense of sadness came to her she couldn't help but feel relieved. Her father had been wrong about something, and the only question was if she was to suffer and pay for his mistake?

"Midori," he said politely and non threateningly. But at the same time she couldn't quite trust him, and she had no reason to… he had no good intensions for her.

"I demand to know why I am here," Midori said angrily trying to cover up her fear. She was a bad liar, Benjiro could smell her fear.

"You pull no rank here milady," he said standing up from his seat.

"I hold rank where ever I go. I am the daughter of Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Rin," Midori said trying to hold her stature, "I am a princess, I am thee princess of The Western Lands."

"Yes and you are not home Midori," he said walking in front of her. She sat on her knees as tall as she could be, but her height did not match his full figured tall stance, "you are far from The Western Lands. Besides your lands are falling apart, and they will be mine soon enough."

"What?" Midori swallowed nervously, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your father and his weakness. With you missing alongside Prince Juro, he will destroy and scour their lands in search for you. With him gone and in a state of panic being held up by the growing power of the North. I can be free to take his Land from him, and if he makes it back alive… I will have the upper hand," Benjiro said smiling down at her.

"You were planning it all along," Midori shook her head at him before looking down at the ground feeling her body slouch.

"On the contrary," Benjiro laughed before turning and walking away from her, "I had another plan, but it was interrupted by Juro. His "affection" for you got in the way of me winning you over, and taking the throne that way. I was in jeopardy so my accomplice and I came up with another plan. This one, and it seems to be going swimmingly."

"Juro has no affection for me, and he was not in the way of anything. You seemed so nice," Midori shook her head, "what a shame Benjiro. You are as greedy as the next, and that is why your plan will fail."

"You think so huh?" Benjiro asked looking at her with amusement, "we will see who is right. Take her to her room."

"What? No! Wait!" she screamed struggling against the guards who dragged her from the room. But instead of going down stairs into the dungeon, they took her down the hall to a room, "where are you taking me? Why am I not going back to my cell?!"

"You are to be by yourself heavily guarded in the room," a man in armor dropped her to the floor and then stood outside her door. The room was like a cell, and she knew it was specially made for her. Only a single window not even big enough for a child to come through let some light spill into the well equipped room. The room had a comfortable looking mat on the floor, and a small desk with a simple chair. Some parchment lay stacked neatly, and a single writing instrument and ink sat beside it. There was candles that were lit, and spare candles for when the light died. It was a room prepared for a long stay, but it was not a stay Midori planned on staying.

Authors note: Sorry it took so long everyone! No laptop, a birthday… but no laptop. However I have my own comp, but no internet for it. The only internet is for the family comp, so yeah… not much different. I hope this was decent for the long wait, I'm tired and drained. The hormones really hitting my full force this week, I don't think I been a day without crying! How embarrassing! Jeesh! Later everyone.