A/N: Thanks to everyone that reviewed, it makes me really happy to know that you are enjoying my story. So... here's chapter ten. I hope you like it :)

Chapter Ten

After Lord Isao and his family left that day, Rin and I got more bad news. Apparently princesses are not nannies. Hotaru would be taking over my job as Rin's nanny, neither Rin nor I were very happy about this. It wasn't Hotaru's fault, I was sure that she would be a great nanny, but I didn't want to quit being Rin's nanny.

"Why can't Nicole be my nanny anymore?" Rin questioned Hotaru.

"Because she will have other things that she will have to attend to," Hotaru explained gently.

"Like what?" Rin demanded.

"Rin, be nice, it's not Hotaru's fault she's just trying to explain," In truth I wanted to demand answers from the girl too, but she didn't deserve to have my temper unleashed on her. She was merely doing what she was told.

"Honestly," Hotaru sighed, "I don't know. I know that she will have to attend lessons with you, but after that I don't know what Lady Nicole-" I gave her a pointed look and she smiled sheepishly, "uh I mean I don't know what Nicole will do after that. I just know that I have been asked by Lord Sesshomaru to replace her as your nanny."

I nodded, "I understand, but could I ask a favor of you Hotaru?"

Hotaru smiled, "Of course."

"Take today off, go do whatever you want and let me continue to be Rin's nanny for the rest of today."

Hotaru looked surprised, "Take the day off?" She thought about it for a second and then violently shook her head, "I couldn't, I've never taken a day off in my life. I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

"Then I insist that you take the rest of today off. Go sit in the garden or go read a book, just go do something you enjoy. And then tomorrow," I paused not wanting to say it, "tomorrow you can take over being Rin's nanny."

Hotaru looked at me, "What would the others say?"

"Just tell them that I ordered you to take the day off and if they have a problem with it they can come talk to me personally."

Hotaru nodded and then laughed, "Thank you very much I think I will take advantage of your generosity." She bowed, "I will see you tomorrow Rin."

Once Hotaru once gone Rin flopped down on her bed, "I don't like this. I don't like this at all."

I went over to sit beside her, "Hotaru is a nice girl."

Rin nodded, "But she's not you." She sat up, "What if we don't get to see each other anymore?"

I shook my head, "That won't happen, Hotaru said that I would be attending lessons with you."

"But what if that's it? What if I get to see you for lessons and then I don't see you for the rest of the day?"

"That won't happen either we always have meals together."

"But we won't get to play together. I'll be with Hotaru all day."

I wrapped my arms around her, "Rin, I don't know what I'll be doing with my time because I don't know what a princess does but I'll always make time to come play with you. And for all we know I'll be sitting on my butt all day, so I just might come visit you and Hotaru every day ."

That didn't do much to cheer Rin up, "They moved your room. We won't get to see each other when we go to sleep now." Rin paused and then a look of shocked sadness came over her face, "What if-if you don't get to sing to me anymore before I go to sleep."

I patted her head, "I promise I'll come sing to you before you go to sleep, okay? Now come on, I don't want to spend my last day as your nanny crying over things we can't change, let's go play. Do you want to go outside?" Rin nodded and we made our way out to the garden.

We played outside until it got too dark to see and then we reluctantly made our way inside. We didn't want to have to part way after I sang Rin a lullaby but we both knew that it was late and we had to sleep. But we got a surprise when we came upon Rin's room. There were servants making their way in and out of Rin's room and then down the hall.

"What's going on here?" I asked a man that was about to enter Rin's room.

The man looked at me and bowed, "We are moving Lady Rin's room?"

"Why? To where?"

"Lord Sesshomaru has told us to move Lady Rin's belonging into the room adjacent to yours," the man explained.

Rin and I looked at each other for a minute too stunned to speak. And then we beamed at each other, "Yes!"

I quickly thanked the man and then we ran giggly to our new rooms. We weaved our way through all of the people moving our things and stepped inside Rin's new room.

"Wow," Rin breathed.

"Wow is right," I said as I looked around the room. Rin's new room was twice as big as her old room, but not quite as big as mine I noticed, and her bed was giant compared to the little girl.

"I wonder what's through there," Rin said pointing to a door that was beside the fireplace.

"I bet it's a bathroom," I told her as we made our way over to the door. I was right, it was a bathroom but unlike mine it didn't have another door that led to an indoor hot springs.

"This is amazing I didn't know we had a room like this in the palace."

I grinned, "Come on, let me show you my new room."

I showed Rin my room and she was in just as much awe as she had been when she saw her room, "Wow." She turned to me, "Do you know what this means?"

"What?"

Rin beamed and started to excitedly bounce on her feet, "We don't have to be separated! Our rooms are right next to each other again."

I nodded, "I know and now I really can sing to you every night."

Rin giggled and suddenly we were too happy to keep still, we started running around the room laughing and squealing. We were jumping on my bed when we heard a voice.

"So I take it the rooms are to your liking then."

Rin and I dropped to us butts and giggled, "Yes," we said it unison.

Rin ran over to Lord Sesshomaru and hugged him, "Thank you!"

I was a little surprised, I had never seen Rin touch Lord Sesshomaru before, she always stayed a respectable distance away from the dog demon. I looked at Sesshomaru as he looked down at her. His face was as emotionless as always but I couldn't help feeling that he was happy. Rin let go of him and ran back over and hopped on the bed again. Lord Sesshomaru looked at me and I realized I hadn't thanked him yet. I blushed and bowed, "Thank you Lord Sesshomaru."

I stayed bowed but Lord Sesshomaru didn't say anything. Curiously, wondering if he had left, I glanced up. He was staring at me, his expression as unreadable as always. I felt my face heat up and quickly adverted my eyes. A minute passed and neither of us had said anything else. Rin, however, was still jumping on my bed and laughing, completely ignoring us. Slowly I looked back over at Lord Sesshomaru only to find that he was still watching me. I felt my face flush hotter.

Finally he blinked and turned away, I didn't think he was going to say anything else, but he cleared his throat and glanced at me again, "Tomorrow," and then he was gone.

I smiled to myself, only Lord Sesshomaru could remain as impassive as he was and then say one word that told the listener everything that they needed to know. Tomorrow, that one word, was a reminder and a promise.

The next morning I woke up to the sensation of being bounced. I groaned and looked up accusingly at the little girl, who in turn just giggled. I rolled my eyes and grabbed her leg, making her drop and bounce on her butt. That caused her to giggle as well.

"I'm sorry Nicole, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."

I looked around trying to locate the source of the voice and found Hotaru standing in the doorway to my bedroom. I smiled sleepily at her, "Is that so?" I said turning to the little girl. I grinned and that was the only warning she got before I tickled her.

She squealed, "I'm sorry! Uncle! Uncle!"

I laughed and let her up, "I suppose I have to get up now don't I?"

Rin nodded, "Yep."

I sighed, "I guess I didn't need to sleep in today anyway."

I reluctantly got up and got dressed for the day. Having heard that I was going to my mother's village today Hotaru offered to do my hair. Hoping to make a good impression I readily agreed. Once she was done we made our way down to the dining room to get some breakfast, lessons with Chieko-sensei hadn't started back up yet so the only thing left to do today was to sit and wait for Lord Sesshomaru to call for me.

I was a little discouraged when I finished my breakfast and still hadn't heard anything from the great dog demon. What if I had to wait all day to go to my mother's village and then I didn't get to stay there very long? That would be very disappointing. But it turns out that I needn't have worried. I felt him coming before I saw him, and sure enough he came around the corner and headed straight for us.

"Are you ready to depart?" he asked in the same monotone voice as always.

I smiled at him, "I am ready to go."

Rin looked up at us, "Are you going to your mama's village now?" I nodded without looking away from Sesshomaru. "Can I come too?"

I looked down at her and then back up at Lord Sesshomaru questionably, he simply gestured to me and I took that to mean that it was my decision, "Yes you can come," I smiled.

Rin clapped her hands, "Yea!" And then she took off running to the front door with Hotaru running after her.

I chuckled at her antics and then looked to Lord Sesshomaru, he was watching Rin also. I giggled and took a step towards the door, his eyes shifted to me, "Come on, you're coming too aren't you?"

He didn't say anything but moved to follow behind me. When got outside Rin was already in the carriage and Hotaru was standing next to the door, "Lady Rin had insisted that I stay here," she said smiling at me.

I nodded and smiled back at her, "You can take another day off, I'll watch her today."

Hotaru laughed, "I thought you might say that, thank you Nicole." She looked up at Lord Sesshomaru and swallowed, "I mean," she bowed, "thank you for your generosity Lady Nicole."

I didn't get the chance to chide her for calling me that again but she took of very quickly back inside the palace. I looked up at Lord Sesshomaru for a clue as to what had gotten into the girl to make her run so fast but he just looked down at me and motioned for me to get in the carriage. So I did and sat down next to Rin.

The carriage started moving once everyone was in and I couldn't help staring out of window as we made our way to the village. Soon Rin joined me and we watched the scenery pass in silence until we arrived at the village.

"Wow, it's actually pretty close to the palace." I said disembarking from the carriage.

"Indeed," was the only response.

As soon as Rin got out of the carriage she starting running and laughing, "Rin stay where I can see you!"

She stopped for a moment and turned to look at me with a toothy grin, "Okay!"

I chuckled and turned my attention to Lord Sesshomaru, he had been watching Rin but he too turned to look at me. And then he did something I never expecting him to do in a million years, he offered his arm to me. For a second I was too stunned to anything but stare at the offered limb, I looked up at Sesshomaru's face, he was watching me. Blushing I murmured a quiet thank you and took his arm.

He led me through the town like that, showing me all the places in the village. I have to say my favorite was the market place. It was so full of life, and everyone seemed to be fairly happy. I was also pleasantly surprised to note that there were both demons and humans alike in the village. And they seemed to get along fairly well. It was early afternoon when Lord Sesshomaru led us to a quiet pasture and produced a picnic basket. Where he had got it was a mystery but I decided not to question him. We sat on the grass while we ate, we were the only ones in the pasture so it was peaceful and relaxing the entire time. I stared over the pasture, I was hypnotized by the way the grass and flowers danced in the breeze. Suddenly Rin shot up and ran over to a patch of flowers. She glanced back at us and then hid the flowers from our view, she looked like she was doing something.

Lord Sesshomaru and I just sat a watched her until she turned back around and put her hands behind her back. She made her way back over to us with a big grin on her face. "Here I made these for you," she beamed as she held out flower crowns.

I smiled and took the offered flower crown from her and put it on my head, "Thank you Rin."

"Now you look like a real princess," she told me. She turned to Lord Sesshomaru and held out the other to him.

He didn't take it, he just kind of stared at it and then back at the girl as if she had gone crazy. He didn't need to voice anything to say that he would not be wearing that. Rin looked down at the flower crown in disappointment. I chuckled and took the crown from her and turned to Lord Sesshomaru. "Come on, don't be mean," I said as I reached up to place the crown on his head. He scowled at me and if I had been anyone else I probably would have backed away in fear, but me being me I completely ignored him and focused on getting the flower crown to sit right. After a minute I was satisfied with my work and sat back on my heels and nodded, "There."

Lord Sesshomaru stared at me for a minute and then turned away. I had to laugh, he looked like a stubborn child, but I smiled when he didn't move to remove the flower crown from his head. I looked over at Rin and frowned. I got up and moved over to the flower patch.

"What are you doing?" Rin asked coming up behind me.

I turned around and placed a flower crown on Rin's head, "There now we are both princesses."

Rin beamed and then touched her crown, and soon we were running around in the breeze. We didn't stop until we got tired and then we walked back over to Lord Sesshomaru, who had been watching us play, and plopped down to catch our breath.

After a while Lord Sesshomaru stood up and we followed suit. He offered me his arm again and we walked back towards the village. Rin was running in front of us again. I turned my attention to Lord Sesshomaru, "Where are we going now?"

He didn't look at me, "There is one more place I wish to show you before we leave."

I wanted to ask him where that would be but figured I didn't want to ruin the surprise. So I quietly let him led me down the road. The road we took was a little over grown but not so much that it was impossible to walk through. It kept me curiosity peaked, where could Lord Sesshomaru be leading me all the way back here? I gasped when I figured it out. I stopped in my tracks and stared up at the castle. My mother's castle.

I turned to Lord Sesshomaru, "Can we go inside?"

He responded by moving forward and pushing the door open, it creaked from years of being unused. He motioned for me to enter first, so I did. And then stopped in my tracks again. The place was dusty and dark from years and years of being uninhabited. It was beautiful. I spun around the room trying to take everything in. Rin ran in and started down a hallway. I warned her to be careful and let her continue her independent exploration of my mother's home. I was looking up at a tapestry on the wall when I felt a light touch on my arm. I looked at Lord Sesshomaru, he was offering his arm to me once again. I took it and let him led me farther into the castle, until finally we stopped in front of a wooden door. He took his arm away and motioned for me to open the door. Hesitantly I pushed the door, it gave more resistance than I expected but soon the door was wide open. I gasped for the second time since I enter the castle.

This was my mother's room. I could feel it. I walked over to the long dead fireplace and ran my hand along the mantle. Then I walked through the doorway at the back of the sitting room. The bed told me that this is where my mother slept. I turned to my right and tears started welling up in my eyes. On the wall was a portrait of my mother. She was beautiful. She was in a gown with her hair done up and she was smiling, she looked truly happy. My tears started to fall as I reached up to touch the picture.

"Does it displease you?"

I turned to Lord Sesshomaru who was standing in the doorway and shook my head, turning back to the picture to give it a watery smile, "No it doesn't displease me. It pleases me very much."

Lord Sesshomaru moved to stand beside me, "Your mother was very beautiful," he said as he turned his attention to the portrait.

"Yeah," I said sadly, "she was." I wiped the tears from my cheeks as I turned to him. "Thank you." I said getting his attention, once his eyes were on me I said it again, "Thank you."

He stared at me a moment before he nodded. And then he offered his arm once more, "Come, there is one more place of importance."

I took his arm and gave my mother's portrait a final look before we exited the room. Then we exited the castle all together. "Where are we going? Rin's still inside."

Lord Sesshomaru made no impression that he even heard me speak, he just continued walking. So we came upon what looked like an untended horse stable. I looked at Lord Sesshomaru for answers but he had his attention trained on the stables. I turned my glance back to the stables as well and for a time we just stood there in silence, looking.

"This is where your mother and father met for the first time."

I turned wide eyes to the dog demon but he kept his eyes on the stables. We were silent again. I stared at the stables imagining all the ways my parents first meeting could have gone. And before I knew it I had tears running down my cheeks again.

"If you wanted, I could give this village back to you," came the emotionless voice of the dog demon.

"Back to me?" I questioned.

He was silent for a moment, "It is your birthright."

I stared at him dumbfounded, "I-I would love that," I paused, "but I don't know the first thing about being a princess. I don't think I could run this village."

He nodded, "I could teach you." I continued to stare at him, "And I would help until you could do it on your own." We were silent, and then he turned to me, "Would that be satisfactory?"

I gave a watery laugh and nodded, "Yes that would be satisfactory."

Lord Sesshomaru let me walk around the castle grounds until it the sun began to set. Then he called Rin and we made our way back down the over grown path. I don't think any of us expected that at the end of the path we would be met with a crowd of people.

"Lord Sesshomaru who is that woman?"

"Yes, and why did you let her back to the castle when you have ordered everyone else to stay away?"

"Who is she?"

People kept demanding answers, some of them sounded angry and some of them just sounded curious. Lord Sesshomaru silenced them all with a sharp look. I had never seen him look so diplomatic as did in that moment.

He raised his chin giving him an air of superiority before he spoke, "This woman, is the daughter of Princess Mizuki."

There were gasps of disbelief from everywhere in the crowd.

"Surely you are joking Lord Sesshomaru."

"How can she be the daughter of Princess Mizuki when she is clearly a human?!"

The people started getting louder and louder but again Lord Sesshomaru silenced them all with a look, "Chose to believe what you wish." He turned to me and then back to the crowd, "But know that before you say anything of ill will that I have handed over the right of this village to her." The crowd started to get rowdy again and again he silenced them, "Do you think this Sesshomaru an idiot?" He demanded.

The crowd was silent but they shook their heads, "Then believe that she is the daughter of Princess Mizuki. She is Princess Nicole."