Chapter Six: Atonement, Part One

I braced my self. One hand on the door, and one on its frame.

For a moment, I stood there watching jaken. His tears were falling so fast and so quick, to wipe them away would be futile. At this point, I didn't know how to console him or comfort him. He undoubtedly heard what the fortune teller had said, and is now in a state of shock. Learning that someone who you have practically grown up with is dying..that must be painful. I felt such pity for him, and such sadness that overwhelmed me to the core. Here he was, crying and shaking uncontrollably, because of my nearing life. He was torn...

"You're dying."

"I'm not."

Jaken nodded his head slowly. "Yes you are! That woman just said you were!"

"No, I'm not!" I could feel denial seeping into my body like a familiar old habit. He would badger me about this endlessly, but I will not give in. I refuse to accept what the fortune teller had just told me. What she said didn't make sense...Or rather...I didn't want it to. What she had said, claimed to be true but..why me? Why here? Why now? What about him...

"You have to tell Lord Sesshomaru!"

My heart began to race. "No!"

"Rin! This is serious! This is not one of your little games. This is your life!"

"But.."

Jaken started to step back towards the forest. He had a strange look on his face, as if he was cautious about something. I felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was about to happen. I could feel it. Something was about to happen...My hands fidgeted with anticipation. Jaken took a glance back, then looked back at me.

I looked to the forest then back at him, he was about ten feet away from the forest, and five feet away from me.

"He's here isn't he?"

Jaken looked at the forest again.

I heard someone In the distance scream.

"Demon!"

A couple people were screaming demon, and began crowding around us.

Jaken moved back another foot. "I have to go."

I advanced a foot. "No. Not until you promise me you won't tell Sesshomaru."

A few villagers began screaming for help, thinking jaken was some sort of threat.

Jaken gave me an unsure look.

From behind me, in the old hut I could hear the old woman yelling at the top of her lungs. "And the race is..."

My hand reached out in attempt to grab him, "you're not gonna tell him are you?"

"ON!"

Jaken turned and broke out into a run in the forest. I fled as soon as he entered. I pumped my legs hard, over tree roots and vines. I pushed my hands into trees trying to gain more leverage. I was in hot pursuit, but I was no match. I probably could have beaten him in my younger days or perhaps a couple weeks ago, but not now. I was sick. Too sick. And him? He was determined. Nothing would falter his movements. He effortlessly ran over the forest floor, as if he were merely gliding, with the staff of two heads high above his head.

As the minutes stretched, he seemed to gain a farther distance, and would undoubtedly find Sesshomaru and tell him of the past occurance. From a distance, Someone called my name. I felt my muscles begin to ache, and I rapidly began to lose my stamina. I could feel my legs about to give up on me, but defeat was not an option. I had to keep going. I pushed me legs to their full extent, but it wasn't enough.

My left leg got caught on a uprooted tree.

My chest hit the ground hard, and all the air left my body.

I began withering around on the floor, flailing my arms trying to breath. I could feel the muscles in my throat begin to close and before I knew it...

There was blood all over the floor.

I lay on my side trying to regain some of my strength. The air was coming in slow, barely enough for me to sit up. My chest rose and fell slowly, to the beat of my irregular heart. My eyelids felt as though they were carrying half ton weights. I could hear my name being called again. From my peripheral vision, something moved, and I could hear someone walking towards me. I shifted my body to the left and laid with my back to the floor. A small green figure came into view.

Jaken knelt down next to me. "Rin..." He moved the hair from my face. "I didn't know it was this bad..."

My voice was hoarse as I spoke. "It's not as bad as it seems."

"Rin." I could feel his tears hitting my face. "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice began to crack with emotion and I did my best to comfort him. I rolled over to the side and pushed myself up. Our eyes were eye level. He looked at me with such regret. "You have to tell him."

"I will."

"RIN?" Someone was calling my name, and they were approaching us quickly.

Jaken looked to me, in surprise. "The humans...they're looking for you."

My heart began to pound in my ears. The humans...? why were they looking for me? My mind began going through everything that had just happened. From when I left the palace, to the fortune teller, to now. The humans...They must know...The fortune teller must have told them about what she had seen! Everyone knows! My hand began to fidget. There were two options in which I could handle this situation. One, I could either go with Jaken and seek out Sesshomaru. Or, I could go back and face the humans, in hopes that they will understand and let me leave without breaking the treaty. As much as I wanted to leave this horrid and uptight village, I could not dishonor Sesshomaru's reputation by just leaving. He didn't deserve that. He gave me too much, for me to reflect badly on him.

"RIN?" Me and Jaken both turned to the northeast. Someone was looking for me and they would be here any second. "Rin? Rin, Where are you?"

I grabbed Jakens hands in mine. "Jaken, you have to promise you won't tell him. I will tell him on my own."

Jaken opened his mouth in protest, but I cut him off. "Please jaken. Just let me cut my ties with the humans and I will meet you back here and we can leave together."

Jaken looked unsure for a moment.

"Forget the humans. Lord Sesshomaru is just outside the village. We can reach him in an hour or so. Let's leave now."

"RIN?"

It was Orin. Orin was looking for me. He would be here in a couple seconds...

I squeezed Jaken's hands. "Jaken I have to do this. I cannot reflect badly on our lord. Please. Please, let me do this."

Jaken let go of my hands and put his arms around my neck. "Why is this happening, Rin? Why is this happening to you?"

I had to fight back the tears. "It's just...I..." I heard the bushes rustle, orin was a mere couple of steps from us. I whispered low, into jakens small ears. "My heart couldn't..take it. I just...I just love him too much..."

"Oh, Rin."

"I will be back in an hour. Meet me here, and we will leave." I came to a stand. My muscles no longer felt so tensed. I could breathe in and out, with ease. I began walking away, in attempt to meet Orin before he saw Jaken.

Something in my stomach felt awry, and I looked back at him. The staff of two heads was on the floor, and he had his hands cradled to his heart. He made no noise, but the tears still fell. He was trying to console himself. I quickly walked back, and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be back in an hour."

I began walking back into the forest. This time I didn't look back. For some reason..I knew I would never see Jaken again. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. That was the last time I would ever see him. I had known him my whole life. He was my companion...He was my only friend.

"Rin! Oh Rin! I'm so glad I found you! I was looking for you. The villagers said there was a demon in the village. I thought something had happened to you. Are you alright? Are you okay?" Orin held me in a tight embrace and although it was uncomfortable because, I didn't feel the same as him. But, because I would never see Jaken again, this hug, was a small comfort.

"Where were you?"

"I went for a walk."

He released me and looked me over for injuries. I prayed to God, that I didn't have any blood on me. To my relief, he smiled and let out a sigh.

"Well, at least I found you in time."

"In time for what?"

"The rehersal."

"What rehersal?" My mind began to panic. I knew what he was about to say. It would make this situation even more difficult.

"The wedding rehersal."

My heart began to chip and break, as he led me back to the village, towards the village church.

_The Village Outskirts

Jaken stumbled out of the bushes, falling flat on his face. Sesshomaru glanced down nonchalantly, at his vassal, then rested his head back against the oak tree.

"Jaken, If I didn't know better, It would seem as though you're crying. Has visiting Rin been that overwhelming?"

Jaken scrambled to his feet. "My lord, you have to go to the village at once. Rin is in trouble. She needs your help!"

Sesshomaru made no movement.

"Please my lord! She needs you! You have to go to the village!"

"This Sesshomaru doesn't have to do anything."

"Yes you do, she-"

Jaken do not precede by telling this Sesshomaru what he has to do. Rin is no longer under my care, she will have to fend for her self."

Jaken began to cry, as he spoke, "But, you have to My lord!"

Sesshomaru remained silent.

"You are trying to act as if you don't care. But it is more than obvious that you do."

Sesshomaru opened his eyes, and looked at jaken square in the eye. "What are you implying?"

"You love her My lord. You love her and yet, you are letting her go."

"Do not think that because I am here, I harbor some infatuation for her."

"Then why are you here?"

Sesshomaru's eyes squinted in anger. "Jaken, you are below me. I do not have to explain anything to you."

Jaken shook his head with apathy.

"Jaken you're boldness will get you killed."

"With all do respect my lord, If you wanted to kill me you would have done it already. But instead you are arguing why it is you are here and not at the palace governing your lands."

Sesshomaru stared at Jaken with impassive eyes.

"She left me Jaken. She. Left. Me. Not the other way around."

"She did it out of love."

Sesshomaru made an amused sound. "I would beg to differ."

"She didn't want to hurt you."

"Then why did she leave, jaken? Why would she leave when I was willing to give up everything for her?"

"When she dies, she doesn't want you to have any ill will about her or the choices you have made."

"She knows that I would never forsake or regret what I have felt for her. She knows that, Jaken."

"She thought if she left, you wouldn't hurt so much. If she were to marry someone else, you would get over her and resume expanding and governing your lands. She thought it was better."

Sesshomaru came to a stand. His baritone voice boomed as he spoke. "I can never just get over her, Jaken. I can't..."

"Why would she want me to forget her?"

Jaken's words carried into the breeze, and disappeared with the wind, "She did it out of love."

The imp sat on the outskirts of the forest crying his heart out, And

The Demon Lord disappeared into the trees whispering to himself.

"I would have given up everything for her."