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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

The snake demon charged right at them, while spitting poison constantly (even though it was a python-like demon, it can spit poisons). Prince Seiko pushed Rin aside and yelled, "Rin! Stay away!" he swiftly ducked when it was about to bite his head off his body; he used his royal sword to attack the demon.

Good. He is protective; courageous; and has good fighting skills… but is he strong enough? Sesshomaru pondered.

The demon got slightly injured but it was not deterred. "Seiko! Be careful!", Rin was worried. The demon swung its tail at him and knocked him off the ground. His head got injured and his weapon was tossed several feet away, in the trial. When the demon was about to finish him off, a large piece of log hit the head of the demon. The enraged demon, cried in pain and bellowed, "Foolish woman! You two are no match for me! Did you ever think that filthy pitiful humans like you stand a chance against me!"

An outraged Rin, without giving any thought, countered, "Lord Sesshomaru will come for me! Then we'll know who's foolish, filthy and pitiful!" Yes! It has always been true! And it will be! He was always there for me when I needed him! And I KNOW he will be there for me!

Sesshomaru felt an invisible hand strangling his throat, when he heard Rin's proclamation. Feeling of guilt filled his body and he couldn't even move.

"Lord Sesshomaru? Who might that be? Another pathetic human?" a curious demon mocked.

"How dare you disrespect him!? It's you who's pathetic! Wait till he comes, you weak, worthless, wretched demon!" Neither Rin nor Sesshomaru could believe the former's (1) Naivety (2) childish loyalty (3) Blind faith, (4) uncontrolled fury and (5) offensive language.

"Shut up you filthy human! Now die!" when the demon charged at her, Seiko dashed and sliced the neck of the demon. There was no way the demon could survive that injury. It fell on the ground with a loud thud. But the sadistic demon, swung its tail against Rin, knocked her off the cliff and died.

"RIN!" Seiko yelled.

Rin screamed, "Lord Sesshomaruuuuuu!"

A flash of lightning hit her eyes and she felt racing upwards and not downwards. She felt strong arms wrapped around her, while those arms held her in bridal style. When her eyes recovered from the shock of lightning, she saw pointed chin, soft lips, straight nose, golden eyes, well-shaped brows, blue crescent moon, white bangs, a pair of magenta stripes on either side of pale cheeks and loooong white hair. Looks like lord sesshomaru… Rin blinked to confirm.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You came!" The same Naivety! I deduce that there are certain things which even time cannot change… Sesshomaru mused.

Rin's cheek burned red. Before her brain permitted thinking process, she tightly wrapped her arms around her lord's neck. Sesshomaru was shocked at her bold gesture but he inwardly enjoyed the intimacy, but he never admitted it. Instead, he told himself, she may hold me for support. She was exceedingly happy to be saved by her lord, just as she thought! No! 'Believed' would be a more appropriate verb. Yes! Yes! Yes! I was right! I knew he'll come! She was so happy that she was about to kiss his cheek! Thank goodness her brain recovered and initiated the thinking process at the right moment; she refrained. Her shower of love partly thrilled him and partly made him feel guilty. Guilt dominated the thrill, though.

The couple released each other when he gently placed her on the ground and made he sit. He crouched beside her.

"Rin… Are you alright?" Sesshomaru's voice was deeper than usual. An all-smiling Rin, nodded her 'yes!' She was so delighted at his inquiry, she couldn't even speak. He was trying to avoid her eyes the whole time. He just couldn't get himself to meet her eyes. Her eyes were filled with tears of great love, devotion and blind faith that his whole body was overflowing with guilt.

She didn't even care that she was so close to death! A misfortune from which neither my tenseiga nor my mother's meido seiki could have saved her. It would have been 'the end'. Sesshomaru was inwardly shaking. The worthless demon was weak for me; but not for my Rin. I was so keen on assessing her potential suitor, that I unconsciously let my guard down on Rin. I should have finished off that demon the moment I scented it, not letting her life endangered like this. How imprudent have I been!

"errr…. Lord sesshomaru?" It was Rin's way of asking him if he was alright. Surely making a straight forward inquiry would be a 'disregard' to his 'glory'. But she knew that something is not just right about him, from the look on his face.

"Rin! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Seiko rushed to her. He didn't lose a moment to take her in a tight embrace.

Sesshomaru disliked seiko's gesture and he (i.e. sesshomaru) knew he did. A foreign feeling invaded him which was beyond his comprehension. JEALOUSY. The vicious demon within him, urged him to rip off the prince's head off his body. But sesshomaru was not one to lose self-control that easy. He felt as though, destiny was giving him a message. All along, Rin was in his protective arms, and… as if it's about time that he passes on the responsibility to another male… permanently!

"I'm perfectly fine! What about you?"

"Little bump in the head, minor scratches, nothing significant…..", Seiko said and continued softly "I…. I thought, I had lost you! Thank goodness you're safe!"

"mmmhmmm! Lord Sesshomaru saved me!" she giggled her girlish giggle. Then, as if she recalled something, "a-and thanks to you, Seiko, you saved the day! You killed the demon! I owe you my life!" Rin said excitedly.

"And I owe you mine!" countered Seiko.

He did save the day indeed. He was 'strong' enough to defeat the large demon single-handedly. Perhaps… he does deserve my Rin… MY Rin….

"I'm just glad you're well" Seiko's voice was softer than ever and his eyes focused vacuum. "it was all my fault…. taking you for a walk into the forest… I promise… I'll never do it again…"

"Aw! Don't apologize! It was not your fault! If the demon chose, it might have attacked us either at the forest or at the village. It was strong enough, though!"

The couple seems to be in its own world, sesshomaru thought bitterly. Sesshomaru couldn't possibly celebrate the fact that Rin was paying more attention to anyone other than himself, particularly in his presence. He felt overlooked, and that too by Rin. He didn't like it at all.

"Rin…" Seiko whispered.

"Yes?" Rin suddenly blushed realizing that she was actually in the arms of the prince.

"I love you"

"…"

"I love you so much"

"….w-w-wha?!" Rin gasped.

Seiko gently released his embrace and looked straight into her eyes, "I really do, will you…... will you marry me and become the princess of Mount Desi and Central Valley?"

"….….." Rin was blushing furiously although it was not the first proposal she had ever received. She felt very thrilled and honored to be proposed by one if the most eligible bachelors in the region. The thought made her smile.

Wait! A voice from within called out to her. It was her intuition again. It prompted her to take a look around her and she did.

LORD SESSHOMARU WAS NOWHERE!

Lord Sesshomaru! Where did you go?... My lord… Don't leave me…

What will Rin's answer be? Why did Sesshomaru vanish? Where did he go?

Stay tuned, for the next chapter has a twist!

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